Folding table



K. G. JOHANSON 1,990,032

FOLDING TABLE Filed July 11, 1935 I LW'ENTOR. WM 2 Patented Feb. 5, 1935 FOLDING TABLE Karl G. J ohanson, West Concord, Mass. Application July 11, 1933, Serial No. 679,849

1 Claim.

This invention relates to folding tables of the crosslegged type, and aims to improve tables of this character with a view to adapting them for use as high or low screens, as well as for the purposes of a table or stand, while at the same time providing an exceptionally sturdy and rigid construction.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with the upper portion of two legs broken away, of a table embodying my invention and folded into a position to serve as a high screen.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the table as shown in Fig. 1, the lower ends of the legs being broken ofif;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the table with the top swung around into a position as a low screen;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the lock on line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, with portions of two legs being broken away, and showing the table used in the normal or ordinary manner;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the table with the top locked in a tilted or inclined position as a drawing stand.

The table shown, comprises a top 11 preferably equipped with two parallel cleats 4-4 secured to the lower side of said top. For the purpose of supporting the table top two pairs of crossed legs 7 are provided, to be hereinafter known as the side-pairs. One member of each pair of legs is pivoted at 2 to the table, the two pivotal points being located in the same axis, the other members of the two pairs of legs are not connected directly to the table but are pivoted at 8 on the ends of arms 5-5 at the opposite ends of a tie rod or rock shaft 3 which is supported partly in one of the cleats 4 and partly in a clip 22, Fig. 2, so that it can rock about an axis parallel to the axis of the pivots 2-2. By this arrangement the inside leg of one pair, and outside leg of the other pair are formed into a working-pair of legs to unfold in the same plane. The axis of the tie rod or rock shaft is spaced from the axis of said pivots by a distance equal to the lengths of the arms 5-5 so that the pivot points of the four upper ends of the legs can all be brought into the same straight axial line. When the legs have been folded to position their upper ends in this manner, the table top can then be swung into either the position shown in Fig. 1 or that illustrated in Fig. 3. Due to the fact that the axis on which the table swings is located much closer to one edge of the table top than the other, it can be made to serve either as a high screen or a low screen as desired by simply rotating the top 180 about the pivots 2-2.

When the legs are spread apart as shown in Fig. 5 the arms swing into position approximate- 1y parallel with the table top, and the top then is supported in a horizontal position, as shown in said figure, where it serves the purpose ofthe ordinary table. The lateral projection 15, Fig. 2,

on the tie rod carries the lock bar 9 parallel to the table top by the parallel bars 10 pivotally connected to the former at 19. The latter being pivotally connected to the table at 12 and any movement of the lock bar is registered on the adjusting rod 24., the latter being pivoted to the table at 12 on a common pivot with one of the parallel bars and slidably connected to the lock bar by a hollow pivot 20 where the thumb screw 6 is in position to check said sliding movement as best shown in Fig. 4. Interference between the lock bar, the parallel bars or the latters connections to the table and the lateral projection, is avoided by making the length of the lock bar greater than the whole distance covered by the sweep of the lateral projection 15. The retarding effect of the locking mechanism upon the folding movement of the table is negligible to the extent of being unnoticed. Consequently this locking device offers a convenient and effective means to lock the table both when folded or unfolded or in any inclined position as shown in Fig. 6. A spring stop 21 is provided.

In order to add maximum stability and uniform rigidity to the whole structure, as well as for simplicity in manufacture the two side pairs of legs are pivoted at 13 on the opposite ends of a pivot rod or shaft 17, and two diagonal braces 14-14.- are secured to the opposite ends of this shaft just inside the legs, each brace extending diagonally to the upper end of an inner leg opposite to the end of the shaft on which it is secured, and the two said inner legs being in divergent positions to each other. Thus, the identical crossing of the legs causes the upper ends of the braces to be carried in opposite directions to each other when the table is unfolded. In other words, each brace supports its working-pair of legs and stays continually in that plane, as shown in Fig. 5, while the tie rod serves as a common carrier to both brace and legs. This bracing arrangement does not interfere in any way with the folding of the table but the braces serve to give lateral stability to the table in all positions whether folded or open. This arrangement thus provides an exceedingly sturdy table of the folding type while at the same time facilitating the manufacturing operations.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim as new is:

A folding table comprising a table top, two pairs of crossed supporting legs, the upper end of one pair of legs pivoted to the table top, a tie-rod mounted on the table top and pivotally connected to the second pair of legs, a pivot rod extending between the pairs of legs at their points of crossing, a diagonal brace secured at one end to the upper end of a leg of one pair and at the other to the pivot rod, 2. second diagonal brace secured at one end to the upper end of a leg of the second pair and at the other end to the pivot rod and a locking device in combination with the above mentioned tie-rod. 2 I

KARL G. J OHANSON. 

